The Atomic Ant pulled out his pitching wedge amid a 2-1 win on Saturday over the Philadelphia Union.

Not that Sebastian Giovinco’s short game needs any work. At 5-foot-5, the Italian is among the smallest players in MLS.

But after assisting on Marky Delgado’s opener midway through the first half, Giovinco added to his team-leading goals total minutes later.

The early season MVP candidate struck a dipping long-distance effort that Philly’s Brian Sylvestre saved, only to see Giovinco burst past three Philly defenders to finish off his own rebound.

Forget assisting on others’ goals, Giovinco is now assisting on his own.

To celebrate his 12th of the season, the Italian ran towards the corner, stopped, squared his hips and pretended to chip a golf ball into the west stands.

He put his right hand to his forehead to admire his shot.

Meanwhile, the 25,032 fans in attendance were admiring him for what has been an astonishing first half of the season for a player who needed just 18 games to cement himself as the best player in the league.

“He has it all,” head coach Greg Vanney said of Giovinco’s hustle goal. “He’s very clever of when he uses that. When he sees a moment where he needs hustle he adds it to his game. He uses it at the right times.

“Even at the end (of the game), he adds a little extra. He bought the team an extra five or six seconds (at the end of the match through a hustle play).”

The Reds needed it after Philly’s Conor Casey pulled one back in second-half stoppage time. The former TFC striker twisted and turned at the top of the area before striking a left-footed grass-cutter that beat Joe Bendik to the far corner.

With minutes remaining, though, Toronto’s defence shut things down.

Another match. Another Giovinco masterpiece. Truth be told, he easily could be on pace for 30 goals this season.

He should have added to his total late in the first half, when Jozy Altidore’s clever pass put him in alone on goal. Giovinco’s cheeky effort — he appeared to intentionally put spin on the ball — beat Sylvestre before missing just wide at the back post.

The crowd exhaled, having already gotten what they paid for.

With the performance, Giovinco’s already up to sixth on TFC’s all-time scoring list. He has scored five goals through TFC’s five previous games. His golf celebration was pretty boring — a signal he’s running out of celebrations.

Giovinco wasn’t made available to media post-game. He’s probably tired of talking about how good he is.

The big number, though, is 75% — the amount of TFC goals Giovinco has scored or assisted on this season. Without him, Toronto FC wouldn’t be in this good of a position midway through the season.

Immediately following Saturday’s match, Major League Soccer finally revealed Giovinco as an all-star selection after he somehow missed out as a fan or commissioner’s pick.

“It’s about time,” Vanney said when informed of his player’s all-star selection. “It shouldn’t have been so difficult.”

The Reds are hoping wins like Saturday’s will simplify other things, too.

Toronto FC vaulted up the Eastern Conference standings with Saturday’s result, opening up a five-point gap on seventh-place Philly, which currently sits a spot out of the playoffs.

The Reds officially survived the first half of the season, one filled with international call-ups and many road fixtures.

Saturday’s win was more than just a mid-season result. It was a match Toronto FC had to win if it hopes to avoid a playoff race come September.

Vanney an Co. would prefer to have this club’s inaugural playoff berth wrapped up with a half-dozen games remaining.

“We don’t have many away matches in the second half of the season,” Vanney said. “We have to get results when we play at home, which was the importance of the three points today.

“For us, the second half of the season is about acquiring points at home.”

And getting players like Altidore back up to speed following injury. The U.S. striker was sent home from the Gold Cup when American bench boss Jurgen Klinsmann deemed him unfit.

Altidore could have put the match away with a little over 10 minutes remaining, but his open header off a cross from Jackson was cleared away by Ethan White to keep Philadelphia within reach.

“I thought Jozy did a good job,” Vanney said. “He and Sebastian’s relationship continues to grow … He’s still working his way back to 100% fitness.

“With the game at 2-0, we left him out a little longer … I wished he would have gotten a goal. That’s the next piece he needs.”

Considering Toronto FC is second in the league in scoring, the prospects of a healthy Altidore and Michael Bradley coming back into the fold should scare the rest of the East — especially if Giovinco keeps producing intricate celebrations.

ZAVALETA, DELGADO SURPRISING THEMSELVES

Like an older brother, Eriq Zavaleta took a playful shot at his lockermate post-game.

“You think you’re up for Goal of the Week?” he joked with Marky Delgado, who scored Toronto FC’s opener on Saturday in a 2-1 win over the Philadelphia Union.

“I’m voting for you,” Zavaleta added.

Delgado’s goal — the result of a hard defensive clearance attempt that ricocheted off the TFC midfielder and into Philly’s goal — was bizarre to say the least.

So, like always, Zavaleta took full advantage of the situation.

“(He picks on me) every day. Every. Day,” Delgado told the Toronto Sun with a smile as Zavaleta listened in. “We go way back. The first day I saw him, it started. It’s the same old jokes.”

Delgado, who played with Zavaleta at the now-defunct Chivas USA last season, brushed it off.

“I was in the right place, right time. That’s a classic Marky (goal),” he added.

Laughter aside, both players weren’t expected to add this much at the start of the season.

Zavaleta, who is head coach Greg Vanney’s nephew, was seemingly floating around without a club when TFC traded for him. Delgado was selected through Chivas’ dispersal draft.

“I came in hoping I’d make a difference,” said Zavaleta, who made his eighth start of the season at centre back Saturday.

“I came here and worked hard. By virtue of injuries and other things I’ve been able to step up and take chances. It’s another year where I can keep getting better.”

Delgado, meanwhile, was something of an afterthought until appearing against Montreal a few weeks back.

He impressed so much during that outing Vanney had no choice but to keep giving him chances.

After scoring at New York City FC last week, Delgado added to his career stats Saturday.

The U.S. youth international has a tireless engine and keeps things simple. He has been instrumental in Michael Bradley’s absence.

“He’s composed beyond his years,” Vanney said. “I didn’t know how he dropped to the position he did (in the Chivas dispersal draft), knowing his potential and upside. I thought he added a dimensions to our group where he could continue to grow.

“At 20 years old he already had 50-60 professional matches under his belt. I knew he could help us. I didn’t know how quickly.”

He has been big time the past few weeks. And his goals have helped TFC secure four crucial midseason points against Eastern Conference foes.

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